Webster v. Reproductive Health Services Oral Arguments

Attorneys made oral arguments in the 1989 case of Webster v. Reproductive Health Services. Then Missouri Attorney General William Webster ar… read more

Attorneys made oral arguments in the 1989 case of Webster v. Reproductive Health Services. Then Missouri Attorney General William Webster argued the case for the respondents. Frank Susman argued the case for the petitioners. Charles Fried argued the cause for the United States as amicus curiae.

In 1986, the state of Missouri enacted legislation that placed a number of restrictions on abortions. The statute’s preamble indicated that “the life of each human being begins at conception,” and the law codified the following restrictions: public employees and public facilities were not to be used in performing or assisting abortions unnecessary to save the mother’s life; encouragement and counseling to have abortions was prohibited; and physicians were to perform viability tests upon women in their twentieth (or more) week of pregnancy. Lower courts struck down the restrictions.

The question being argued was if the Missouri restrictions unconstitutionally infringe upon the right to close

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Webster v. Reproductive Health Services Oral Arguments

1,318 Views
Program ID:
190556-1
Category:
Public Affairs Event
Format:
Judicial Proceeding
Location:
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
First Aired:
Jan 07, 2006 | 4:06pm EST | C-SPAN 1

Airing Details

  • Jan 07, 2006 | 4:06pm EST | C-SPAN 1

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